lOO 



be picked at the right time, and handled with great care in getting 

 it to the packing house. Do not pick ah the fruit at one picking. 

 This holds true with nearly all varieties for if the small apples 

 are left upon the tree they will often increase in size enough to make 

 A Xo. I fruit. In picking, see that the whole stem is removed and 

 without breaking olf the fruit spur, as the future crop may be in- 

 jured. Keep the fruit out of the rain and hot sun. 



Mr. Newcomer. How far apart were your pickings? 



Mr. Cohill. Depending upon weather conditions, about ten 

 days to two weeks. 



We use a picking bag and pour the fruit into a lined box made 

 of special durability, with sawed out hand-holes to lift by. ^lake 

 the box to lit the wagon bed with a double decker type. 



Grading. 



A\'e have not adopted the box pack as yet. for the barrel has 

 been exceedingly profitable for us. although we expect to put up 

 some boxes next year. The company thinks as long as they get 

 $4.00 to $5.50 per barrel it beats the box. Solid cars of our Jona- 

 thans reached the price of S5.50 per barrel shipped direct from the 

 orchard as soon as picked, to Xew York. 



pack three grades of barrels, fancy,. Xo. i and Xo. 2's. 

 The fancy and Xo. I's have a label of the orchard company. Avhile 

 the X'o. 2"s have no identification, but marked plainly a Xo. 2. The 

 fancy is a large uniform, well colored apple of the variety, while 

 the Xo. I is of a smaller uniform size, well colored, all larger than 

 2^/2 inches. The value of accurate grading of fruit to a uniform 

 size and appearance, is the selling factor of any package, be it a 

 barrel or a box. 



Worming Trees. 



This is one of the utmost importance to a yoimg orchard. The 

 best time to worm is in ]\Iay or September : we worm our trees 

 every year in the early fall. This busy little worm does a great 

 deal of damage, and by the time we get around to him he has done 

 what he thinks his duty in killing the trees. 



W^ashing the yoimg trees with whale-oil soap is the next fall 

 ■^^(ork. This has a tendency to keep rabbits from tearing the tree, 

 and is very effective against San Jose scale, and also makes the 

 trunk and limbs clean and smooth. Dilute 2 poimds of whale-oil 

 soap to I gallon of water, boiling the soap until dissolved and apply 

 to the tree, either by spra3dng or put on with a whitewash brush, 

 over the trunk, fork and main limbs. 



I note with interest what Air. Frazer tells about whale-oil soap 

 controlling the worm. A\'e have used whale-oil soap a number of 

 years, both fall and spring, and. though it might have effect on them 

 during egging, I think you will find the worm there just the same. 



This completes the year's work, as this brings us within a few' 

 days of Christmas, and work is closed until the first of the year. 

 So our only vacation is during the holidays. 



